


Break Away

by Royce_Clayton



Category: Trigun
Genre: Freedom, He isn't as big a whore as he seems, Kinda suck at summaries, M/M, Swearsies, There be Flashbacks, Wet Dream, but it's good stuff, incest (mentioned), no really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-05
Updated: 2013-12-05
Packaged: 2018-01-03 13:20:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1070926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Royce_Clayton/pseuds/Royce_Clayton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I dream of ways to kill you..."</p>
<p>Legato has always loved and worshipped his god, Knives, even though he knows he has lost himself because of it. In one last bid for his identity, Legato takes a suicidal path that leads to his freedom from the angry plant. And Midvalley is there, as always, to stand beside him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Break Away

“I dream of ways to kill you…”

His master’s words still hung in the air around him, still swirled in his fevered brain. Legato lay on the floor of his room in the hideaway that Knives had adopted as his home. He’d had a bed once, but Knives had destroyed it in a fit of anger over one of Legato’s failures. He’d also destroyed nearly every bone in Legato’s left leg that night.

Legato rolled over to his side uncomfortably at the thought. Knives had been gentle back then, compared to what he was now…but Legato would never oppose his Master’s wishes. Not even when the pain became unbearable…not even when he thought he could bleed no more. He loved his master. The perfect plant was a god, something deserving of worship-not unholy sexual thoughts. But every time he fell asleep he dreamed of his master moaning beneath him. Strange that he never had a dream about himself being submissive.

He stood up slowly, casting a glance at his usual clothes that were neatly folded and stacked near the door. He’d been forced to wash his clothes every day now-Master seemed obsessed with getting Legato’s blood all over his clothes-so he was wearing a black undershirt and loose black pants. His face set into a determined stare.

He’d had enough dreaming. 

No more of it.

His footsteps echoed down the empty hallway. Or at least, he thought it was empty. Midvalley met Legato halfway to Knives’ room, grabbing Legato’s arm to stop him when he made no sign that he was going to stop.

“Don’t get yourself into anymore pain than you already do…please,” Midvalley whispered, generally worried for his lover. Legato leveled his amber gaze on his partner.

“Stay out of my way,” he muttered. Midvalley released his grip in shock, and then glared. Legato had never talked to him in that tone of voice before, even on the worst of nights.

“What’s going on? Tell me what’s wrong!” Midvalley was beyond worried now; he was past that hill and onto terrified. He loved Legato, couldn’t live without him. It was bad enough to see the aftermath of Knives’ anger scarred across the soft skin that he loved to caress-Legato didn’t need to rush into punishment willingly.

Legato turned his head, hearing nothing that sounded like his master waking up, and then set his gaze on the musician once again. Midvalley’s eyes showed the fear he held for his beloved, along with the undying love that Legato still could not understand completely. His mind was made up, and his plan was pure suicide…if he told Midvalley, there was a good chance that he would talk him out of it. He couldn’t take that chance.

“I heard Master calling me, that’s all…” Legato lied. This seemed only to anger Midvalley, a strange sight to Legato who had never seen the horn freak anything but relaxed.

“I never see you anymore; Legato-sama…That bastard’s always got you…” Midvalley said with soft sad tones. It was the truth, though Legato didn’t realize it. Knives had seemingly become very possessive with his favorite toy.

Legato turned away and left Midvalley standing there. He could not afford to waste anymore time than he already had.

“Don’t get yourself killed!” Midvalley called, his voice echoing off the walls a bit. Legato walked on, giving a derisive laugh in his mind. Dying was his only option, his only chance to break away from Knives’ sick hobby. He shook his head. It was never a good idea to think bad about the master…Knives often peeked into Legato’s mind, though as of late he had stopped. Perhaps the unclean thoughts and dreams that Legato tried fiercely to guard had been found. Perhaps not.

He reached the large steel door of his Master’s chambers and put his hand to the knob. If Knives was awake then Legato would be found out. He could never guard his thoughts from his master if Knives ever decided to really try. He hadn’t tried before.

No, that wasn’t quite right. Knives had tried once before, and succeeded. For some reason Knives had gotten it into his head that Legato was messing up on purpose to aid Vash. Knives pinned Legato down and broke through every mental blockade Legato had formed. The pain was immeasurable, he’d thought his face would be frozen mid-scream forever. Knives had never found what he’d sought, but he had found out about Midvalley…about the relationship that had formed between them…about Midvalley letting Legato be the dominant force in the relationship. That had angered Knives so much that he’d left Legato a bloodied and broken person-making him swear to never see Midvalley outside of a job. Legato had sworn, but the very instant his wounds had healed enough, he had disobeyed.

*~* Flashback *~*

Legato lay in bed, a cold wet cloth on his forehead to combat the fever that had taken him over from an infection to one of the many bloodied cuts that had resulted from Knives’ torture. He was already half asleep when his door creaked open. He expected it to be Knives, come to rub a little salt into his wounds, and so he laid still. A warm hand nudged his before clasping it tightly and lovingly. He sat up instantly, looking over as Midvalley knelt next to the bed and kissed the back of Legato’s hand. The cloth slid down into his lap but he continued to stare at the tender look in the musician’s face. The man smiled and moved to a sitting position on the bed, reaching out and brushing Legato’s bangs out of the way before he leaned in and kissed him.

Legato started to pull away but Midvalley’s tongue slid into his mouth, distracting him. Legato melted and took charge, toying with the man’s tongue while mapping out the already familiar pathway of his lover’s mouth. Sweet, with a hint of strawberries that the sax player must have had earlier in the day. Midvalley pulled back, panting slightly but smiling coyly.

“I’m glad to see you back to your usual self, Legato-sama. Knives didn’t curb your enthusiasm at all. What pissed him off so much?” He asked. Legato frowned then chewed his lower lip, the mention of his Master reminding him.

“I’m not supposed to see you unless we’re on a mission…this isn’t a mission.”

“Of course it is! This is a mission of Salvation, Legato.”

“Who’s salvation?” Legato asked, shocked by the answer and how fast it had come. Midvalley smiled and started unbuttoning his dress shirt, letting it slide down his arms and off to the floor.

“That’s the question, isn’t it?” Legato opened his mouth to press the issue but at that exact moment Midvalley shed his undershirt, revealing his pale skin and perky nipples. Legato practically drooled as he lunged and pinned Midvalley back to the bed, attacking his throat with kisses and love bites. Midvalley moaned softly, clenching and unclenching his fists. Legato raised his head, smirking in a very un-legato-like manner. Something Midvalley always found arousing. When Legato was in charge things always stayed interesting.

Legato tilted his head slightly, confused about the far off look in Midvalley’s eyes, then bent down and sank his teeth into the man’s shoulder. Midvalley’s body jerked and he bit back a howl, and then looked up at a smirking Legato who was licking his blood off his lips. Midvalley panted, a faint blush coming over his cheeks as he realized just how well he’d responded to that. He squirmed, trying to make his pants loose enough to be comfortable. Legato noticed and pulled back, unzipping the man’s pants then throwing them off somewhere in the corner. He smirked wider, a fang gleaming, as Midvalley’s erection came into view. The horn freak always ran around commando.

Midvalley gasped as a warm tongue wrapped around his member, the moaned and tangled a hand in that blue mane that he loved so much. Legato smiled and took his lover’s length into his mouth all the way to the hilt, where his nose was tickled by the coarse pubic hair. He suckled hungrily for a bit, enjoying the salty taste and manly smell that Midvalley always exuded. He felt the hand in his hair tug a bit and looked up without removing his mouth.

“Stop…that’s enough…mm…I want…more…please?” Midvalley panted out. Legato pulled back, licking his lips before stripping himself and holding out his hand. Midvalley handed him the nearly empty tube of lubricant that he’d pulled from his pants before having them thrown off. Legato coated two fingers and knelt between Midvalley’s outstretched legs, nudging them apart further and circling the pink opening. Midvalley moaned and squirmed slightly. “Don’t tease…not fair…!”

Legato laughed lightly, slipping his index finger in to the third knuckle, then doing the same with his middle. He thrust them in and out for a bit, then curled them and rubbed the sweet spot. Midvalley arched back, moaning Legato’s name. Legato swallowed thickly then pulled his fingers out and used the last of the lube on his thick cock. He got into position and entered slowly, kissing Midvalley to prevent any unwanted noises of pain or discomfort. Once he was fully seated he waited. Midvalley usually took little time to adjust but it had been a while since their last encounter. But to his surprise the next moment he was laying on his back with Midvalley kissing him deeper.

“What the hell do you think-” legato started harshly

“I want to ride, is that so wrong, love?” He laughed, smirking as he moved up and down on Legato’s dick. He kept clenching his muscles, squeezing Legato pleasurably. Legato watched him, moaning softly with barely any control over his volume. He gripped Midvalley’s hips and pushed him down faster and harder, driving himself deeper into his lover’s tight hole. Midvalley arched his back and panted as he rode, gritting his teeth as sweat beaded down his back and brow.

“Midvalley…!” Legato said, trying to call out a warning before-

“AHHHHH! LEGATO!!!” Midvalley screamed, cumming hard over Legato’s stomach and chest. Legato shuddered, releasing instantly deep within his lover. He panted and looked up at Midvalley, smirking as he mopped up the cum from his chest and sucked it off his fingers.

*~* End Flashback *~*

That had been their last time, though. Knives had never given him another chance, always giving Legato something to do or punishing him for nothing.

Legato slowly opened the door, peaking in. He could just make out the form of his master on the bed, his chest rising and falling with each breath. What luck! He was even lying on his stomach! For once, fortune had smiled on Legato. But did he really dare attempt what he had come here to do? Could he really take his Master?

His feet answered for him. He walked into the room silently, very cautious. Knives made no movement, save for his breathing, which spurred Legato on. His breath hitched as knives’ soft scent filled his nostrils, intoxicating him, impeding Legato’s quest for a moment. That moment cost him dearly.

Knives rolled over in his sleep, onto his side, now facing Legato. Cursing himself silently, he stepped closer until he was right beside the sleeping god. He looked over the silken clothes and bed sheets that impeded his dreams fruition.

That brought on a whole other set of problems. How would he get his master’s clothes off without waking him? Was his master a heavy sleeper? Legato tried to pull an answer for the last question but could never clearly recall a time when Knives had slept in his presence. He wasn’t even sure that it had ever happened.

A low moan met his ears, causing Legato to freeze like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming vehicle. Legato slowly turned his gaze to his master’s face. Had he woken up?

Another moan escaped his master’s mouth, a deeper, more primal, moan that could not be mistaken for anything but lust. Legato raised an eyebrow, taken by surprise. His master dreamed like he did-lusted like he did. But over who? Another moan came, this time with words.

“Oh Vash…”

Legato’s eyes widened-of course Vash! Why had he not seen it before? Vash was the object of Knives every desire even, it seemed, the more innate primal ones.

Primal, that’s what shocked him the most. Knives, the inhuman plant, still lusted. After his own brother no less! But, of course he did, Legato reasoned. After all, humans were beneath Knives and the only other being that was also above humans was Vash. But why did it have to be Vash?!

Images flooded through Legato’s mind and past his eyes unbidden. It had been another of his missions, to make Vash’s life miserable, but somehow it hadn’t ended that way…

*~* Flashback *~*

He’d just entered the local bar for a bite to eat, but when he looked around he’d caught sight of a very drunken Vash the Stampede. Vash seemed to be amused with singing his heart out with the other drunks, that is until he and Legato made eye contact.

Vash stumbled over and sat beside Legato, seemingly forgetting that Legato was his mortal enemy. Legato did his best to ignore the blonde, but with looks so very close to his master’s it was impossible. So Legato met eyes with the plant.

“Legato-sama,” Vash started, his speech a bit slurred. The name-or more correctly, the suffix-sent shivers down Legato’s spine. He’d never been called that, never!

“You shouldn’t be talking to me, Vash the Stampede, you should want me dead!’ Legato snapped, frustrated at how, by just sitting there, Vash had aroused him. Thankfully, beneath his long, white coat, Vash couldn’t see Legato’s pants tightening.

“No matter what you do to me, I could never want you dead…I lo-” and Vash was silenced by Legato’s lips crushing down on his own.

Legato sensed Vash’s tension slip away; he’d genuinely been scared to admit his love for the blue-haired psychic, even in his drunken state. Vash broke the kiss, gasping and taking in lungful after lungful of air. Legato wasn’t even winded. The master had “taught” Legato how to hold his breath…meaning he’d held Legato’s head under water and had done so until Legato had improved greatly. Vash gripped Legato’s hand and pulled him to his feet, nearly tripping the entire way to his hotel room.

*~* End Flashback *~*

Legato had committee the biggest sin he ever could. He’d slept with the object of Master’s every desire. If Knives has ever found out…Legato shuddered at the thought.

His master’s moaning had increased in pitch, and then he cried out. A thick scent filled the air and Legato was violently thrown from his world where everything made sense.

Master had wet dreams. Something that Knives had always punished Legato for.

Hypocrite.

Legato slipped out of the room silently. His faith had been broken, his trust retraced. No more servitude.

He pushed open Midvalley’s bedroom door, watching as Midvalley looked up from a rather…embarrassing position. His hand slid from his slick member and he turned to look at Legato with flushed cheeks.

“Legat-” he was interrupted as Legato threw off his clothes and pounced onto him, his hand replacing Midvalley’s. “But Knives said-” Midvalley was panting already. Legato gripped him tightly, jerking with force.

“Knives doesn’t matter anymore.”


	2. Run Away

Midvalley sighed from his place in Legato’s arms, looking up at the ceiling. The smoke from his cigarette drifted lazily up and away. Normally he abstained from smoking. He only had the occasional light up, he was a musician after all and lung power was important. But after the furious pounding Legato had given him…it seemed appropriate. The blue haired demon had fucked him like a man possessed. Not that he was complaining.

“What happened?” Midvalley asked finally, though it pained him to end the peaceful silence. Legato looked down at him, his eyes showing he was unsure of what the Hornfreak had meant. “You’re different now…freer.”

Legato paused in thought. He was still new at defying his master, still new at freedom. He was unsure how to go about revealing what he had found. He was unsure about a lot of things.

“I walked into Ma-” he hesitated, frowning. That wasn’t the right word anymore. And it never would be again. “…Knives’…room, intending to kill him, or die trying.” Midvalley glared up at him, moving so he was facing Legato eye to eye.

“What the hell were you thinking?!” The musician demanded, cold fear rushing his veins even though the threat was passed. Or at least the immediate threat was. No way Legato had managed to kill the plant, meaning that somewhere along the line-soon, probably-Knives was going to come for answers. Legato kissed him, hoping to calm his lover down for a moment, at least enough time to finish answering the question. Midvalley allowed the kiss, never passing up an opportunity to taste his psychic’s sweet lips. They had been rare, just a day ago.

Legato pulled back after a moment and raised an eyebrow slightly-very slightly. No one would have noticed unless they were used to the stoic man’s face and emotions. It wasn’t that Legato was a truly blank slate. He couldn’t be, no matter how hard he tried. It was the human in him, he suspected, it tainted what could have been perfection. No, the golden eyed harbinger of mass suicide had plenty of emotion, and facial expressions to match. They were subtle, is all. Midvalley was used to seeing the hints of change.

He sat back and nodded for Legato to go on.

“When I got there he was asleep…he was dreaming…of Vash the Stampede.” He said it as though it were the most damning thing he’d ever heard, and it was. However, judging by the look of ‘go on’ on Midvalley’s face, his partner did not understand the seriousness of the situation. “In a sexual way.” He added.

The Hornfreak stayed perfectly still for a moment, frozen, before doubling over in silent laughter. Legato pulled back, startled by the reaction. This was no laughing matter-this had shattered his world, his perceptions, and his bonds! A bit of anger rose up from deep inside him, something he’d never felt towards the other before. He didn’t like being mocked. As Midvalley slowly uncurled, wiping the tears from his eyes, he noticed the change and went straight back into his serious face.

“Hey…relax…I didn’t mean to laugh but it’s funny that for all his “perfection” he slips into one of the most basic of all sins. I mean incest-gay incest too, God there’s a double whammy, eh?-is really high up there on God’s Don’t Do list.” Midvalley held back the snickers as he spoke, because his partner’s eyes had widened exponentially. This was truly frightening, because he was used to small changes in Legato’s face, not eyes the size of dinner plates.

Legato’s mouth opened a little, feeling as though his world had shattered again. Midvalley was right. It was a truly cruel sin. Something so basic as to be in the Old Testament! He smile, showing fang, without really feeling anything. He wanted to laugh. It was fundamental wasn’t it? It was all right there, Knives was a sinner. A flawed being. Oh the years of servitude…wasted. But he did owe Knives his life. He snapped out of it at the feel of his lover’s lips on his own. He returned the kiss, pulling back after a moment and licking his lips. So, he could be soothed that way as well, eh?

“Listen, I understand that this must be shocking and everything but the rest of us…we kinda already knew about him wanting to fuck Vash.” He smiled that perfectly honest salesman smile. Legato stared at him. “Okay, so maybe not specifically fuck, but that monster’s obsession with his brother was….clearly border lining romantic entanglement, ya know? Like that whole July thing? Clearly something a jilted lover would do…if they were plants with that kind of power.”

Legato took this all in with a deep breath of air, and then let it out in a very Un-Legato sigh. Midvalley raised an eyebrow as his lover got up from his comfy seat on the horrible mattress and walked, buck-naked, to the door. He opened it a crack, staring out with wide golden eyes into the hallway. Then he looked back at Midvalley. The musician felt uncomfortable, looking at all the scars and wounds that crossed his friend’s body like Sandsteamers across Gunsmoke. He clenched his hands into fists in his lap. He had hated Knives before he’d known Legato. The man was the devil incarnate. But what he’d done to Legato was just….impossible to comprehend fully, especially once he’d fallen for the slave.

There was a noise, another sigh, and then Legato turned and looked at Midvalley, his face full of seriousness that was usually reserved for a mission.

“We have to leave. We have to leave before Knives wakes up.”

“…Legato…” Midvalley sighed, turning his head to the left slightly, while his eyes turned to the past. “He’s not the kind of person you can get away from easily…if ever.”

“Vash the Stampede can do it.” Legato said, beginning to slip on his clothes.

“Well yes, but that man can do anything! He’s a plant, and he’s pure! He’s never even killed anyone directly for God’s sakes! How do we compare to that?!” Midvalley snapped, on the edge of hysterical. He remembered when Knives had killed his band. He remembered all the death he’d surrounded himself with. Even before Knives, he was a murderer of innocents. There was no way that anyone would let someone like him have a happy ending through all this. Despite all his hatred for the plant, Knives gave him an outlet for his music and murderous intent. He closed his eyes and buried his face in his hands, fighting off the tremors of fear that still haunted him from those days.

Legato looked down at him. He really looked this time. He could sense the fear, he knew fear right away. There was hesitation in abundance, naturally, and then there was the validation that came along with working for Knives. Again, something he was used to. You didn’t lead a group like the Gung-Ho Guns without knowing those feelings instantly. For telepaths it was easier, yes, but anyone who leads must know if their orders were going to be carried out. Knives had made that mistake. He assumed a lot about his orders. Still, deep down, he could feel Midvalley working away at the possibilities. And there was only one logical choice to make.

Humans have a natural survival instinct.

For the first time in years, Legato was feeling his.

The raven haired man sighed again, leaning back on his arms and staring up at the ceiling. He was silent for a moment more before he launched himself up to his feet and looked down into his partner’s eyes.

“Alright. Get your things. Only the essentials. Hurry.”

*~*~*

The two ended up in the dust, riding the motorcycle that Legato had scrounged up and Midvalley used to get in and out of towns nearby. They were zooming through the dunes, but they never appeared to get anywhere. All they saw was sand and rock. It was frustrating after a while and nerve-wracking from the start. God only knew when Knives was going to wake up and go after them. Thankfully Knives was wounded from his last fight with his brother, and he tended to sleep about 12 out of 24 hours a day. It gave them a fair head start. There was a small chance of survival. Very small. They just needed to find him.

That was the trouble, they had no idea where the hell the Humanoid Typhoon was, and the clock was ticking. But after six hours of travel they had to stop. The motorcycle was bone dry, and Legato was starving. Midvalley was mildly hungry too but fear was tempering his appetite.

The two walked into the diner and took up a seat. The waitress handed them menus and Legato took it and read it as though it were a bible. Midvalley had his mind on more constructive problems.

“We need to find a place to sleep. I’m exhausted and you can’t drive,” he said, though he might as well have been telling the wall. The waitress smiled.

“We rent out the rooms above the diner here. Can I put you down for a night?”

Midvalley looked around him at his surroundings. The place was kind of small, near empty, and seemed structurally sound. He’d have to ensure there were multiple exits from the room itself, but even only a couple hours sleep on a bed was sounding like pure bliss.

“Alright missy, you can put us down for that and for two of everything on the menu. Have it sent up to the room.” He winked at her and she giggled again, a blush spreading across her cheeks as she took the menus and left to tell the cook. Legato stared at Midvalley, and then looked at where the girl had been.

“Two of everything?” He asked in a hushed whisper. The Hornfreak smiled and stood.

“Let’s go see about that room.”

*~*~*

The room was dark and silent save for the sound of breathing. Everything was perfectly still, until slowly a lump rose from the bed under the blankets. Slowly, like a bud opening to drink in the sweet sunlight, Knives unwound himself from his blankets and sat up. It took only an instant for his mind to move from sleeping but vigil to awake and calculating. But he had nothing to think of at this moment. He stood on long pale legs and shrugged himself out of his silken sleep clothes and pooled himself into the comfort of his favored attire. He then moved to the door and out into the hall. He had every intention of following along yesterday’s path of teaching for Legato, but as he neared the doorway he felt something was wrong.

He couldn’t sense Legato in the room. He let his mind’s focus widen out to encompass the compound, but the blue haired slave was nowhere within it. That was absurd; he’d ordered the peon to remain in his room. There was no way that little worm would do anything against what his master told him to. But another mental sweep cleared up a lot of the confusion. The Hornfreak was missing as well.

That explained it. The only person who could possibly get Legato to do anything at all, besides himself, was that musician whom Legato had taken an unwelcome fancy to. Clearly Knives had been too kind in the way he had handled the situation before. He had spared the rod to spoil the child. He wasn’t going to allow this to spiral into that dreaded of all things, a mistake. No, his wayward playthings needed to be dealt with. He formed a mental picture of who he was calling, and they appeared at his side.

“You called, Master Knives?” The two shadows seemed to speak at once, and with no distinguishable voice.

“Find the Hornfreak…destroy him. Let no one stand in your way,” Knives said, his voice so cold that only the heat of Gunsmoke outside prevented the compound from freezing over.

“Sir!” They both bowed and disappeared into the darkness from whence they’d come. Knives turned and went back to his room. He sank himself into a seat on his bed and picked up his phone, pressing a button on speed dial. There was a dial tone, and then a honeyed voice came over the line.

“Hello?”

“I need you to retrieve some property of mine, Elendira…”


	3. Drift Away

After enough time to rest, a mere two hours, Midvalley insisted they get back on the road. Legato had stuffed himself gleefully and was plenty content enough to agree to whatever it was the musician suggested. He knew the danger, truly he did, but he was finding more and more things came naturally to his human self. Denial, he suspected, was what was doing him this kindness now. He didn’t like thinking about what could happen-so he didn’t. It was an amazingly simple thing, and he thought he just might have discovered what the charm to it was. He had never known before.

They packed up their meager gear, and plenty of spare food, before hopping back onto the bike and heading off into the dustbowl that was their home planet once more. They had no true direction. Midvalley had subtlety inquired if Vash had been spotted in the area, or anywhere solid for that matter, while Legato had packed. No one had heard anything specific, as always with the nomadic hero, but there were hints. Whispers and rumors were better than nothing, and so the Hornfreak had pointed the bike that way. They needed to find him, quickly, if they were going to survive.

And they did, in a small town about two hours out. 

He was sitting on a barstool, sipping a bottle of beer. His hair was darker than either remembered it being, but it was definitely him. He made no move as they walked in and sat down on either side of him. They were keeping their body language neutral and unthreatening, hoping to keep him off edge. He tensed up as Midvalley ordered a scotch, and even worse when Legato asked for a menu, but he didn’t say a word.

After a while Midvalley broke the silence.

“So, Vash the Stampede, what brings you here?” He was trying to be conversational. He had no idea why considering all the hell the guy had been through at the hands of them and their employer.

“Seemed like a quiet place to be.” Vash replied, before looking over at Legato. He then glanced back at Midvalley. “You two aren’t gonna make anymore trouble for me are you?”

“Actually, we have no intentions of it. We’re on the run from your brother.” The horn freak replied. The blonde nodded, only partially surprised.

“I can understand why you would be…but why are you here, Legato?” The blonde finished the bottle he’d been nursing and called for another. The ex-death merchant hesitated. He was still unsure of all this free thinking business. But…he knew he wanted to live. And he wanted Midvalley to live with him.

“I found a reason to live. Now that I have…it doesn’t seem fair to take that away from other people. We mean you no harm, Vash the Stampede, but we would be lying if we said we came here without ulterior motives.” It was all so foreign…but he found he was speaking the truth. He really couldn’t think about killing someone now that he was just understanding what living was.

“That’s good to hear from you, gorgeous. I’d be glad to help. But I can only protect you from Knives.” Vash said it so softly that the two had to lean in to hear it all. Midvalley had to wonder if Vash was drunk or not, to be calling Legato gorgeous…a man who’d tried to ruin his life forever. It was a strange world.

“Thank you, Vash-sama. We can handle anyone short of Knives.” Legato bowed his head in gratitude then looked up as his food arrived. He began to dig into it with his usual fervor.

“Barring the Crimson Nail.”

Legato glanced up at Midvalley, confused as to why he would bring the “lost 13”th member up at a moment like this. Then he began to rationalize as he chewed his food. He was always forgetting that he was stronger than Midvalley. It was easy to forget when there was someone above you shoving you into the ground constantly. Now that he was free he could grasp that.

The trio sat in silence, Legato chowing down and the other two drinking up. They were just getting to the point where the musician and the god were singing, arms thrown around each others shoulders, when the walls and windows shook. A large sound like a thunderclap echoed through the town. Legato stopped, his fork midway to his mouth. Vash and Midvalley were looking at him, their faces dark in the knowledge of a forthcoming fight. Amazing how the drunken happiness could just drain away. Legato slowly lowered his fork to the counter. He stood up at the same time as the other two, and all three of them walked out into the main stretch of road that led through the town.

At the end of the street stood a large group of people, all huddled around a large jeep. There were plenty of weapons, and the leader was barking orders and threats left and right. Legato and Midvalley looked at Vash.

“You’re not going to walk away from this are you?” The sax player asked as he set his case on the ground.

“No, I’m not.” Vash replied, his eyes locked on the gang.

“We can handle these easily,” said Legato, smirking a little.

“No killing. Remember, each of them has a reason to live too.”

This gave Legato pause, and he frowned in slight introspection. It made sense. Humans were built to live, after all.

“Alright," he amended after a moment, "no killing."

“Knew you’d come around sometime, ‘Gato. From now on you stand only for-”

“If you say Love and Peace I’m going to drop you where you stand, Vash.” Midvalley spun his gun in his hand for emphasis. This wasn’t a job for Sylvia today. She had her own soul, and she had yet to be taught to take the less murderous of two paths.

Legato smiled a little, but stopped after a moment because it made his face hurt. So this was living…on Gunsmoke it meant scraping by. It meant begging for help from the plants, living in huddled clumps around them, and dieing out when they died out. Legato had known that. But it also meant fighting to survive. That was what Legato had misunderstood before.

**Author's Note:**

> This originally started out as a one shot but I got a review that spurred on a sequel chapter. Hope you all enjoyed!


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